Join the Forest Preserve District on Museum Day

Celebrate Smithsonian Magazine’s annual Museum Day by making a special visit to a Forest Preserve District of DuPage County education center on Saturday, Sept. 29.     

On Museum Day, hundreds of museums across the country will offer free admission to celebrate culture, learning and the dissemination of knowledge. The Forest Preserve District, though, offers free admission to its education centers and hundreds of free and low-cost events from nature hikes to historical and cultural activities year-round.    

At Mayslake Peabody Estate at 1717 W. 31st St. in Oak Brook, explore the storied past of Mayslake Hall, a community resource and cultural center on the National Register of Historic Places. Free “Restoration in Progress” tours, which are normally $5 per person, will be offered at 9:30, 10, 11 and 11:30 a.m. These tours explore the past and future of the 1920s Tudor Revival-style mansion and share the restoration work underway. Visitors can also enjoy walking trails and fishing in Mays and Trinity lakes in the surrounding forest preserve. For information, call 630-206-9566.     

At Kline Creek Farm at 1N600 County Farm Road in West Chicago, step back in time to the 1890s during free tours of the historic farmhouse on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Explore seasonal activities underway throughout this working farm. Admission to the farm is always free, and house tours and events are offered throughout the year. For information, call 630-876-5900.     

At Willowbrook Wildlife Center at 525 S. Park Blvd. in Glen Ellyn, learn how to better live in harmony with nature and native wildlife. As a rehabilitation center, Willowbrook treats and releases thousands of injured animals each year. More than 80 permanently disabled animals reside there, including owls, songbirds, red foxes, raccoons and woodchucks. A nature trail, butterfly garden and visitor center provide interactive experiences. On Museum Day, the suggested $1-per-person donation will be waived. Willowbrook is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For details, call 630-942-6200.     

And at Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center at 3609 Spring Road in Oak Brook, enjoy an interactive introduction to the local environment. Explore the shoreline of Salt Creek, and learn how to identify common birds and animal tracks. Check out the skeleton of a woolly mammoth, or use a microscope or spotting scope to examine creatures that call DuPage home. Fullersburg is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is always free. For information, call 630-850-8110.     

For Forest Preserve District programs on Museum Day and beyond, visit the “Calendar of Events” on the District’s website, dupageforest.org, or call 630-933-7200.  

For Museum Day information, including passes and other locations in the Chicagoland area, visit smithsonian.com/museumday.